


Consequences

by KitearaDarkblade



Series: In A Handbasket [2]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons Online
Genre: Airship, Physical Abuse, barbarian, rogue - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 04:29:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7743415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitearaDarkblade/pseuds/KitearaDarkblade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Velvet and Toxic Jasmin spend some time together.  Jet accidentally spots them.  Warning, for abuse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> The characters Draerent Cragborn and Toxic Jasmin were the creations of two of my fellow players in DDO, and are used with their permission.

The little elven woman known as Toxic Jasmin looked at the fan of cards in her hand with a mental swear.   _All shit!  Not one good hand in the last five rounds._ She managed to keep from scowling with some effort and tossed two cards towards the middle of the table.  Tapping the scarred wooden surface with her fingertips, she called for two more cards from the dealer.  The old dwarf who was currently dealing flicked the requested cards to her and she scooped them up, tucking them into her hand.  It wasn’t much better, but at least it was something.  The pale-skinned elf tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear, allowing herself a brief smile, looking every bit the cat in the cream before she smoothed her expression.  With a careless gesture she tossed a few more silvers into the pot and looked to the other players.  Most paid up promptly, though one of the kobolds gave a little growl before doing so.  It was almost cute.  
  
The others went through their turns and it finally came to the end .  Most of the others had dropped out, but a big half-orc and a human had stuck with it.  Praying that her little bluff would pay off, Jasmen tossed down her cards for the others to see.  Several groans from those that had dropped out told her that it had at least done its job weeding out the wary.  The two that had remained tossed their down with a scowl.  She had won!  By a mere hair, but she had won none the less.   Jasmin beamed at the boys and scooted her winnings closer to her side of the table.  
  
“Well, it’s been fun, lads,” she declared, flicking coins off the table and into her belt pouch.  “I think I’m calling it a night though.  Places to see, people to do and all that,” the woman added with a coy wink.  A few of the discontents were still grumbling as she headed for the bar.  A quick glance around told her that her usual traveling companion, Velvet, was still keeping an eye on her from the other end of the bar.  
  
Velvet and Toxic had become fairly fast friends since the deceptively strong drow woman had saved her from being pummeled by an irate minotaur in Three Barrel.  Ironically enough, over a card game.  Toxic grinned.  She did love a good card game, even when it needed a little help.  The pale elf cast her ebony counterpart a grin then turned her attentions to the bartender.  A couple of tankards, some finger foods and perhaps she could coax Velvy into getting a room instead of heading out into the wilds.  Tangleroot was definitely not the sandy shores of home.    
  
Jasmin was ordering her drinks when she heard someone step up behind her.  She paid it little mind until that someone leaned close to loom over.  Not hard to do, mind you.  Even for an elven lass, she was on the shorter end of the spectrum and liked it that way.  People underestimated her.  The elven woman paused to peer over her shoulder, perking an eyebrow slightly at the swarthy human man that stood there, scowling back at her.  She perked an eyebrow in inquiry.  
  
“You won a lot of my hard-earned coin,” he began in a low, gravelly voice.  Sort of like he had been struck in the throat a few times too many.  “Had a winning hand, I did, too.”  Jasmin’s lips quirked a little.  
  
“Should-a played it then, huh?  There’s always next time,” she offered, shrugging her slender shoulders a little.   Shifting to face the man, her faint smirk melted into a jovial smile.   His scowl deepened.  
  
“I think I deserve a little… compensation,” he said, crowding a little closer to her.  His muddy brown eyes raked up and down her briefly, then settled well south of her silver-gray eyes.  Thus, he missed the flash of anger there that was quickly smothered.  Toxic managed to keep her expression neutral despite the flare of temper at his innuendo.  Even if she wanted men, she doubted that he would have fit the bill.  Besides, she had more aces up her sleeve than simple cards.  
  
Adopting a disappointed pout, Jasmin shook her head  “I’d love too, really, but I’m afraid that I just can’t do that.  See, it’s my partner; she just can’t stand to be left alone for too long.  Bad memories and all,” she said mournfully, patting the man’s arm.  She cast a look down the bar and saw that Velvet was starting to stir at her act.  The man before her smirked, reaching for Jasmen’s wrist.  
  
“That’s fine with me, lass.  She can join us then,” he replied, eyes glinting.  The pale elven woman managed to evade his grasp and maneuvered to slip under his arm to circle him.  Years as a tavern wench had some uses.    
  
“Oh no, she’d-” Toxic began, then paused as someone seized her from behind.  She gave a little sound of alarm at first, beginning to panic until she recognized the ebon-skinned wiry arm that had encircled her and pulled her up against its owner, possessively.  
  
“Beat you both bloody?” the dark elf asked,  her voice bearing an almost conversational tone.  “This elf belongs to me.”  Velvet emphasized the point by tightening her grip, nearly pulling Jasmin off her feet and definitely farther from the man that had turned to look at her again when she ducked under his arm.   Jasmin looked to the man apologetically, letting a twitch of her shoulder suggest a helpless shrug.  He looked over the drow woman, smirking a little.  
  
“You?  You’re just a little thing yourself,” he jeered, derisive amusement tinging his voice.  Velvet merely favored him with a sardonic smile, one corner of her lips quirking.  “Don’t worry, wench, there’s enough o’ me for both of you,” the man added with a leer.  The drow all out laughed at him at that point, giving him a pointed once over.  
  
“There isn’t enough of you for one of us.  Go piss off somewhere else,” Velvet replied, beginning to turn away from him, drawing Toxic along with her.  She managed a few steps before the man made a grab for her, seeking to turn her right back around.  A smirk formed on the drow’s lips as she shoved Toxic behind her and let the man spin her around, swinging a fist as she did so.  The man’s head snapped back as her fist connected with his jaw, but Velvet didn’t stop.  Reaching to catch the front of his shirt, she drew her fist back to strike him again.  
  
The human recovered before she could land the next blow and drove a fist into the barbarian woman’s gut, temporarily knocking the breath out of her.  She held fast to his shirt, even as she was forced to pitch forward, using the movement to headbutt him.   Behind her, Toxic was edging further from the pair to watch, knowing that the other woman wouldn’t welcome any assistance.  Besides, the darker woman enjoyed fighting whether she won or loss.  It was just more fun when she won, for both of them.  Toxic heard her companion’s tell-tale cry of fury and her lips curved in a slow smirk.  Things shouldn’t take too long.  
  
*********  
  
Jet curled up in a little tighter within his cloak in the net of crates that hung near the ladder leading down into the hold of the Handbasket’s airship. He had claimed the little area as his own and no one cared to dispute it. It was close to the hammock that Draerent had claimed and often shared with Shigi, thus placing him near two people that might help him if he needed it. The drow male smiled a bit. Shigi was usually willing to let Jet stick close to her, if only for a willing servant, and Jet was more than willing. She was not only lovely, but had the musical talent to match her looks. Even when she was merely practicing, he enjoyed listening to her play.  
  
The net had other benefits too. Few people bothered to look up at the shadowy little area, so few took any notice of it. Even less noticed that anyone was curled up there, nestled within the crates and woven rope, so he heard all sorts of interesting things. He had witnessed several arguments, countless discussions and had been ‘trapped’ there more than once to keep from giving away his hiding spot. Jet grimaced a little. Getting stuck there listening to Draerent and his favorite cleric wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time…  
  
The bang of a door opening drew Jet from his thoughts and he shifted to peer around one of the boxes cradled within his net to see who was wandering in. A familiar dark-skinned form swaggered into the hold of the airship, followed by another woman. Jet’s twin sister, Velvet, walked to the ladder leading down into the hold and leaped off the edge to float down. Her companion, a pale surface elf, used the ladder instead and moved to lean against the wall of the ship.  
  
“The Wench ain’ gonna let us in for a week, and now the Bugbear,” Velvet complained, although her voice was tinged with amusement. Jet perked an eyebrow slightly at the unfamiliar tone. That wasn’t one that he usually heard coming from his sister. The other woman merely offered a throaty laugh.  
  
“Aww, it was worth it though, wasn’t it Velv?” the pale elf teased, affectionately. Jet’s eyebrows rose another notch as Velvet gave a snort of laughter. She loved drinking at the Salty Wench. She had even dragged him there once! How had they managed to get thrown out of it and another bar? He fully expected his sibling to snarl and rant at the ban, but she didn’t seem to be seriously put out by it.  
  
“Maybe, but you still owe me, bitch,” the drow woman replied, again with an astounding lack of venom. Was this other elven woman a bard? As far as he had seen, only Shigi could get this much calm from his twin. Squirming a little, the male elf tried to get a better look at the woman. She was pretty enough, in her own way, even if she was a little washed out. Silver hair framed her face, while the majority of it was pulled back in a tail. She wore simple leathers and sturdy boots of a simple design. If she was a bard, she certainly wasn’t like Shigi.  She would never be caught dead in such simple garb, even while trekking the wilderness on a mission for the guild.  
  
The woman pushed herself away from the wall of the hull and moved to stand near Velvet, slipping her arms around one of the taller woman’s arms. “Oh, Velv. I’m sure that I can make it up to you somehow,” she purred archly, and Jet’s eyes grew wide. She was flirting with Velvet! And his twin wasn’t hitting her, or pushing her away! In fact, the female drown favored her companion with a cocky grin and laughed.  
  
“Yea, Toxxy? Any of that gonna be tankards?” she taunted, shifting to face the other woman. 'Toxxy’ continued to smile up at her, even as Velvet backed her against a wall. From what Jet could see, she was encouraging his sister closer. Velvet obliged her, leaning closer to her and bracing herself on one forearm against the wall of the ship. “Or all in trade?”  
  
“Guess that depends on how you want it, huh?” came the reply and Velvet laughed again. Jet was a little stunned. He had never seen his sister react in kind to open blatant flirting, and especially not with another woman. At least not while sober and calm. Sometimes after she raged she could get a little grabby but that was different. There was little laughter or flirting in that, only demand and need.  
  
Maybe this is a good thing, though, Jet mused. His sister didn’t have many people that she called friends. _Perhaps if she did… or had a special friend, she wouldn’t be so angry all the time._ The thought brought a smile to the drow male’s lips. Despite what others thought of her, and even things that she had done to him, Jet adored his sister. Seeing her happy could only make him happy as well.  
  
He returned his attention to the women below and found that Toxxy had drawn his twin into a kiss. A surprised sound escaped him before he could stifle it. Below, Velvet jerked back from her companion and cast a look around, suspiciously. He covered his mouth with his hand, eyes widening in distress. _Oh gods, she heard me!_   Scowling, Velvet turned and tilted her head to listen for any further noises, while the other woman cast a look around. Jet tried to burrow further into his cloak and the crates, but to no avail. Toxic nodded towards the swaying net with a perked brow.  
  
With a growl of irritation, Velvet scaled the ladder and strode to the net. The crates didn’t hide Jet long, especially when she seized his cloak and tugged. The drow male gave a choked gasp as he tried to scramble out, lest she drag him out by the fabric. “Having fun spying on me, Jetty?” she snarled, her voice tight with anger. He shook his head, wincing a little as she continued her hold on his cloak. “Just what in Khyber’s name did you think you were doing?” His teeth rattled as she shook him.  
  
“N-no! Velvy! Honest, I wasn’t spying on you,” Jet stammered, staring at her wide-eyed. “I was asleep and heard someone come in. Don’t be mad, Velvy,” he added. He had managed to stay out of her way for the most part since they had joined the Handbaskets. Fortune, and Shigi, had played a big part in that reprieve. Unfortunately, neither was present at the time, while Velvet was glowering at him.  
  
“I’ve told you not to call me that,” Velvet growled, shaking him again. She paused, then perked a stark white eyebrow. “Who else have you been spying on up here? Maybe I should go asking the others if they’ve seen your ass skulking there,” the drow woman suggested, smirking nastily. Jet shook his head again, though slower. All the shaking had rattled him, but the idea of her telling the others was enough to rouse a reaction. He wasn’t spying really; he just happened to be there! It wasn’t his fault!  
  
“Velv-Velvet, please! Let me go. I’ll leave, I won’t bother you and your friend anymore. I swear!” Jet pleaded, hoping that he might sway her temper for the better. He cast a glance to the other woman, still standing down in the hull. She merely looked up at him, arms crossed over her chest. Well, no help there. His gaze returned to Velvet and he could see that his attempts hadn’t worked there either. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she nodded.  
  
“Not today, at least,” she agreed, drawing back a fist. Jet merely made a soft whimper in the back of his throat and squeezed his eyes shut so that he wouldn’t see the blow coming. The first one landed and he tasted blood. The second and everything went black.  
  
                                              *********  
  
Velvet stood over her sibling’s prone and bleeding form, panting slightly from her exertions. Her eyes still glowed with dull hatred, like a banked fire. Toxic felt a pang of… unease watching her. The dark-skinned woman hadn’t even raged. Nor had her brother once tried to defend himself, though that hadn’t granted him any lighter treatment. More unsettling, he hadn’t done more than whimper when she was sure that she had heard the crunch of bone breaking, while Velvet kicked him. She had seen women that acted like the lad all too many times in the taverns. No doubt, he would forgive it all and claim that she really loved him later.  
  
Toxic Jasmin felt her conscience nagging at her, like an irksome gnat. She had to help him, but she wasn’t about to get between the siblings. Velvet was bigger and stronger than she was, and she was no fool. The lad would likely even defend her and her actions. No, she wouldn’t risk turning that fury on herself. That thought brought a cool trickle of fear, albeit laced with excitement, to the pale woman. Did she dare think that Velvet would never be enraged by her? She could be the one sprawled on the ground someday if the drow woman was pushed too far. Toxic remembered her casually spoken threat back at the bar and wondered. They would have to have a talk about how possessive, if at all, Velvet was. Soon.  
  
“Velv?” she spoke up softly, hoping to draw the woman’s attention and pacify her. Smoldering amber eyes turned to her, narrowed still. Toxic gave her a moment to redirect her attention, only continuing when she noted some of that hatred receding. “Come on, Velv. We’ve wasted enough time on him. I want to go drinking, like we planned,” Toxic continued with an artful little hint of a pout. She was a little relieved when she was rewarded with a quirk of the other woman’s lips. Velvet even turned away from her unconscious twin.  
  
“Where?” she demanded, perking an eyebrow.  
  
“How about the Phoenix-” Toxic began, climbing to join Velvet at the top of the ladder.  
  
“No,” the drow woman broke in, scowling. “With the gambling tables, we’ll be kicked out of there too,” Velvet spat, eyeing Toxic as she sidled up beside her to slip an arm around her waist. The smaller woman shrugged.  
  
“No gambling. I promise. Just drinks and watching you in the brawling area, if you want,” she purred, resting her head against the taller woman’s arm to look up at her. Velvet seemed to thaw a little and she favored her with a playfully exaggerated look of adoration. The drow snickered and reached to grasp her pale ponytail, using it to shake her head lightly.  
  
“Fine. We’ll hit the Phoenix, so long as there’s no gambling,” Velvet agreed, then tugged her hair back more forcefully to pull her head back. Toxic hissed a breathe before the drow leaned down to kiss her hard and released her. “Let’s go then.” With that, the woman turned for the door and headed up on deck. Scalp tingling, the pale elf cast a look at the prone man near Draerent’s hammock and turned to follow.  
  
Once on deck, she saw Velvet already heading off to tell the captain of their plans.  She looked around for a moment and felt a wave of relief when she saw the familiar, sturdy form of the dwarven officer of the Handbaskets.  “Go ahead and get us set up, love.  I’ll be right there,” she called to Velvet, then turned to head toward Draerent.  The dwarf was sitting on the gang plank of the airship with his gear situated on the deck nearby, tending to what pieces that needed some care.  He paid her little mind until Toxic stood over him, casting a shadow over his work.  Then, he looked up, perking an eyebrow in inquiry.  The elven woman moved to crouch at the edge of the ship, frowning slightly.  
  
“Look, I don’t want to cause any problems, but Jetty’s below.  Velvet beat him pretty bad…” Toxic said quietly, glancing back to see Velvet motioning for her to hurry up.  “I’m taking her off to the Phoenix, to cool off.”  Toxic caught Draerent’s expression, alarm warring with confusion, and rose hastily to join the drow woman before he could question her.  
  
                                              *********  
  
“Aw hell,” a voice rasped, tickling at the edge’s of Jet’s consciousness.   He didn’t want to return to it yet.  Even the faint bit now summoned by that voice hurt.  Someone lifted him from the floor and he whimpered as pain flared throughout him anew.  The drow male’s face twisted in a grimace.  
  
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he murmured, thinking that Velvet hadn’t finished with him.  “I didn’t mean to…”   No further blows landed.  Had she stopped?  He was shifted and felt a moment of startling vertigo before painfully settled on someone’s shoulder.  Jet groped for something to cling to and caught a fistful of cloth.    
  
“What ‘appened to ya now, lad?” the gruff voice spoke again and he let his grip relax a little.  Not Velvet.  Draerent.  A slow sigh trickled out of the slender male, relief washing over him.  He still hurt though.  
  
“I…  I fell out of the hammock,” he lied with a groan, cracking one eye open.  The floor swayed beneath them dizzyingly and he closed it again. Draerent snorted.  
  
“Oh really?” the dwarf asked, almost incredulously.  “That hammock of mine grown boots now?  Or were you with someone when you tumbled out?”  He hitched his shoulder a little and the drow whimpered, though gave a little pause at the insinuation.  
  
“No, no.  It’s nothing, honest,” he murmured, shaking his head a little.  If he told on Velvet, not only would she be angry, but the others would wonder why she had beaten him.  What if they agreed that he was spying? What if they were just as angry?  Draerent paused and tilted his head a little, as though trying to look at the drow.  
  
“Really, lad?  I dinnae know you liked ‘em so rough,” Draerent continued his accusation, a leer evident in his voice.  “Or did ya piss ‘er off somehow?”  The dwarf gave a cackle and Jet blinked, his ego pricked a little.  Then again…  was it better for Draerent to think he was bad in bed, or know that Velvet had beaten him for ‘spying’ on her?  The drow bit his lip and gave a weak laugh.  
  
“Yea…  I guess she wasn’t too happy with me,” he finally agreed as Draerent carried him out on deck.  At least he was kind of being honest with the dwarf too.  Velvet had been angry. The stocky barbarian made a thoughtful sound and nodded before shifting his grip on the dark elf to set him on the deck.   He waved  for the Silver Flame representative, Brother Donovain, to join them before looking back to Jet and reaching to just barely touch his cheek.    
  
“Looks like it.  What’s ‘er name, so I can avoid ‘er?” he asked conversationally, withdrawing his hand when Jet flinched away.  The drow murmured something about not remembering and he perked an eyebrow.   “No? Ah, look ‘ere.  Ring mark,” Draerent noted, bending to get a closer look.  “Now, tha’ looks a little familiar.”  Jet’s eyes widened a little at the dwarf’s drawled comment and he tried to turn his head away.  “Quit fussin’ now, it’s not like I’m askin’ ya to marry me, I’m just lookin’!”  Draerent admonished, catching the lad’s chin to keep him still for a better look.  His perked eyebrow rose a little higher.   “Tha’ looks like one o’ Velvy’s rings.  You weren’ in bed with yer sister, were ya?” he asked in disbelief.  
  
“No!” Jet declared, his features twisted in mingled horror and fear. _Oh gods, why did he have to recognize her rings?  Wait…  why does he recognize her rings?_ The drow shook his head a little and gave a little shudder, as Brother Donovain knelt beside him.  The thought of bedding his twin was bad enough, but what if she heard someone saying such?  She beat him a lot more than she had for spying on her.  Draerent regarded him for a moment, then nodded again.  
  
“Alright, lad.  But then, we’re back t’ wonderin’ what happened, aren’t we?  I mean, you say you fell outta the hammock, but it ain’ got boots or Velvy’s rings, does it now?” the gruff male insisted, looking down at him.   He folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head slightly.  “Or maybe you’d be more comfortable with Shigi.  I mean, yer a drow, she’s a drow.  I’m a dwarf.  I got no clue ‘ow drow society works,” he added with a shrug.  Jet cringed a bit at the idea, biting his lower lip nervously.  Draerent stepped aside to let the priest tend to him, still waiting for a reply.  
  
“I made Velvet mad,” Jet confessed, speaking softly, as though embarrassed.  Indeed, his face darkened a little with a flush.  Draerent snorted a laugh, shaking his head.  Brother Donovain gave them both an incredulous look, shocked that the young man’s own sister was the one that had beaten him.  
  
“Have to be more specific than tha’, lad.   You breathin’ too loud pisses ‘er off,” Draerent replied, watching as the priest prepared to cast his healing spells on the injured elf.  The priest knelt beside Jet, closing his eyes as he murmured prayers to the Silver Flame.  Once he finished, the darkened blotches on Jet’s already dark skin faded and the drow seemed to breath easier.  There was still drying blood smeared across his cheek, but at least he didn’t hurt quite so bad.  An aching reminder, perhaps.  He looked first to Draerent, finding him still waiting, then to turned his gaze to the priest.  
  
“Thank you, sir,” Jet offered, shifting to sit up slowly.  Draerent watched him still.  Brother Donovain patted the slender man’s shoulder and rose to return to his place on the ship, leaving the two to talk.  Jet almost wished that he had stayed.  “I…  err…  I overheard something.  It was my fault, Draerent.  I should have kept quiet, I shouldn’t have made her so angry,” he babbled, pausing as his gaze turned to his tunic.   There was blood smeared there too.  Jet grimaced.  “Oh damn, it’ll take hours to soak this out properly,” he added absently.  Draerent shook his head a little at the other man’s turn of thoughts.  
  
“Aye lad.   Why don’cha go down below an’ I’ll see if I can’ find somethin’ to help?” the dwarf agreed, nodding toward the door leading back into the ship.  “Get cleaned up an’ all.”  Jet nodded solemnly with a murmured agreement and rose to his feet a little stiffly, fingering his stained clothing mournfully.  He was glad that Draerent was willing to let it go.      
  
Once the dark elf was safely inside, Draerent turned to look towards the first mate with a faint scowl, clicking his tongue.   Walking over to the kobold, he favored the reptillian crew member with a sardonic smirk.  “Oi.  Go fin’ Velvet at the Phoenix an’ tell ‘er I got a mission for ‘er.”


End file.
